In ball sports such as soccer, football, American football, rugby and the like, a player's foot usually has contact with the ball in very different situations of e.g. a match. For example, a ball may be kicked with the intention to take a shot at the goal (e.g. by a striker or during a penalty), be passed to another player, be kept under control during dribbling, be received after a teammate's pass, etc.
In all those situations, a player makes different demands on his/her shoe. For example, when the player kicks the ball, he/she wants high friction and maximum energy transfer. However, when the player controls the ball, he/she wants a smooth surface and direct touch to the ball.
Known shoes for ball sports are often a compromise between those different demands. Thus, there are usually match situations, in which the shoe does not perform optimally. Other shoes are specifically tailored for certain match situations. For example, soccer shoes are known, which have a structured surface on the upper with fin-like projections which aim to increase the friction with the ball, e.g. to make the ball spin during flight. However, those shoes are not optimal, when it comes to controlling the ball due to the structured surface.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shoe for ball sports with optimal surface properties in a variety of match situations.
This and other objects which become apparent when reading the following description are solved by the shoe in accordance with claim 1.